A Merry "little" Christmas...

I have that nagging pain in my lower back again...

Maybe you have one of those little "reminders" too? You know, the pain that is brought on by stress...

...self-inflicted stress??

As I spent time with God this weekend, I heard him tell me to "scale back" my to-do list.

*sigh*

Image Courtesy of Rawich, Free Digital Photos.net

I had a million excuses reasons why I couldn't shouldn't would rather not...

But God, I've only baked Molasses Cookies...You know I always bake dozens of cookies and give them to people on beautifully decorated plates...

He said, "but you had a wonderful time baking Molasses Cookies with your husband"...

Yes, but, I didn't make any hand-made Christmas Cards or gift tags...Truth be told, I haven't even sent any store bought cards...

He said, "but you sat and watched a movie with Little One today"... 

Yes, but, I...

and then it hit me...

Oh dear, I've really become enslaved to my to-do list again, haven't I?

Image courtesy of Naito8, Free Digital Photos.net

Let's face it, perfectly-wrapped presents and dozens of cookies on pretty plates are nice, but they have nothing to do with Jesus. God wants us to celebrate the birth of His Son, and share that Good News with a dark world.

So when did it become about cookies, cards and the billion other things we've made Christmas about? I got so focused on making this a wonderfully memorable season of preparation for Christmas, that I forgot to seize opportunities to make memories...

So, I'll scale back....And I'll delight in imperfectly wrapped presents, Christmas Carols a little off key, cookie crumbs on every surface...

...but most of all, I'll remember this Christmas as the one that freed me from my own expectations.



Linking up:


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